STEVE PELL Steve Pell, a first-time participant in the BAM ARTSfair, would more readily describe himself as a creative technician than an artist—“Am I am artist? Not sure. More of a technician who likes to do things very well, in a creative manner.” As a past student of geology and minerology, he brings a unique appreciation for nature and respect for the earth to the sharp, modern furniture pieces he crafts for his company Pellican Design, Inc. in Bellingham, Wash. ARTIST COMMUNITY “I do have friends that indeed inspire one another. Felix M. Solomon is a local Lummi Nation/Coast Salish master carver who brings a unique cultural and traditional element to his work. We have collaborated on numerous projects. David Scherrer is a local photographer who shoots many of my pieces, but his own artwork is stunning.” INSPIRATION “My inspiration has evolved over the years. Almost everything done now is based on some loose form of geologic or scientific origin—predominantly atomic structures and crystal forms of some sort. During a graduate course in optical mineralogy, I was fascinated by how light refracted in various minerals; the resulting images were nature’s pure art.” PACIFIC NORTHWEST “The landscape in Washington is by all means a huge source [of inspiration], from basalt columns in the Columbia Plateau to the weathered sandstone found along the coast.” MENTOR “I grew up next to a furniture designer-slash-builder [Ken Emerson] who studied with [Danish woodworker] Tage Frid at the Rhode Island School of Design. That was a major turning point: working under [Emerson] was like having a personal instructor in technique and design. What he produced opened my eyes to the limitless possibilities of almost any material. His mantra was ‘Anyone can learn technique. It takes a great deal more to create something useful, well engineered and interesting to look at.’” SUSTAINABILITY “In my eyes it’s the design [that’s important], not an exotic wood from the rain forest which may never grow back. To be able to use something like bamboo—which is essentially a grass—to create an object with a simple shape but a complex structure is very satisfying from a consumer perspective . . . There is a finite limit to everything in the earth’s crust, so it makes sense to use it wisely.” ADVICE FOR ASPIRING ARTISTS “Find a mentor or business that will provide you with the necessary knowledge to push yourself to unknown limits. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Most importantly realize we all learn differently, and your creative side may not come until after you gain experience in some entirely different pursuit.” ➔ To view Pell’s art, visit pellicandesigninc.com.
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